After covering the alarming disappearance of elephants in Africa for years, journalist Bryan Christy takes matters in his own hands on the cable return of “Explorer” (National Geographic, 8 p.m.). He fashions one tusk with a GPS hidden inside and tracks where traffickers take it. His dangerous inquiry leads to some sobering facts: They’re likely helping fund the murderous reign of Joseph Kony in Central Africa.
One of the year’s great dramatic series has been squeezed into the last three Sundays in August. So tonight’s typically two hour, two episode “Show Me a Hero” (HBO, 8 p.m.) serves as finale for the finely made saga of citing affordable housing units in super-bigoted Yonkers in the 1980s. In it, Oscar Isaac’s flesh and bone former mayor decides to throw his hat into the ring again.
“Falling Skies” (TNT, 10 p.m.) comes to an end after five seasons tonight with a series finale that promises the ultimate battle between Noah Wylen and his Earth forces against those strange skittering alien forces.
Brooke Nevin stars as a single mother who becomes alarmed when her daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers on a new made-for-TV movie, “Stolen from the Suburbs” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
What’s worse on “Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m.), the junkies or the zombies? Last week’s record breaking premiere episode is rerun first at 7:30 p.m.
Johnny Mac wasn’t gone long on “Big Brother” (CBS, 8 p.m.). Voted out last week, he was back the same night after a competition. But nominations for this week’s double eviction come tonight.
Robert Rodriguez talks with “Mad Max” director George Miller in “The Director’s Chair” (El Rey, 8 p.m.).
There’s no shortage of disappointed people on “The Bachelor in Paradise” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Season one end, but not without a name change, for “Save My Life: Boston Trauma” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Corralling the non-infected humans is tough enough duty on “The Strain” (FX, 10 p.m.).
Johnson leaves town with Dan Logan on a new “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
“The Last Ship” (TNT, 9 p.m.) is trapped by a barricade.
Gary Cooper stars on the penultimate day of Turner Classic Movies’ Summer Under the Stars with “It’s a Big Country” (6 a.m.), “Today We Live” (7:30 a.m.), “Friendly Persuasion” (9:30 a.m.), “One Sunday Afternoon” (noon), “Meet John Doe” (1:30 p.m.), “Task Force” (3:45 p.m.), “The Wreck of the Mary Deare” (6 p.m.), “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” (8 p.m.), “Sergeant York” (10:15 p.m.), “Love in the Afternoon” (12:45 a.m.), “Dallas” (3 a.m.). They are followed by the 1991 documentary “Gary Cooper: American Life, American Legend” (4:45 a.m.).
American Authors and Bea Miller perform, and stars like Serena Williams show up for the annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day (ESPN2, 1 p.m.), the traditional kickoff event for the U.S. Open.
It’s almost like a fall NFL Sunday except that it’s all preseason action, with Houston at New Orleans (Fox, 4 p.m.) and Arizona at Oakland (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Baseball includes Boston at Mets (TBS, 1 p.m.) and Cubs at Dodgers (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
WNBA action includes Phoenix at Minnesota (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) and Washington at Seattle (NBA, 9 p.m.).
The title game in the Little League World Series (ABC, 3 p.m.) is played.
In Canadian football, it’s Saskatchewan at Ottawa (ESPN2, 4 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Bernie Sanders, Bobby Jindal, Sen. Amy Klobuchar. CBS: Jindal, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. NBC: Scott Walker. CNN: Sanders, Rep. Marsha Blackburn. Fox News: Chris Christie.